I’ve been invited to Goodwood Festival of Speed for the lift of a lifetime – with current Intercontinental Rally Champion Andreas Mikkelsen in his race-tuned Skoda.

Speeds of 60mph may sound slow, but your concept of speed changes when you’re skidding into a handbrake turn in the middle of a thick forest a few feet from spectators.

The route is the tough, 1.67-mile ­loose-surface track Forest Rally Stage designed with the help of former World Rally Champion Hannu Mikkola.

Andreas has ambitions in the World Rally Championship, but even with his undoubted skill I can’t help but feel nervous as I pull on a fireproof race suit and helmet and sign my life away with a disclaimer.

Andreas is one of the pin-ups of rallying and fans cast jealous glances into the car as I climb into the sparse, stripped out cabin, complete with roll cage, race seats and full ­four-point harnesses. Before I can settle into my seat, we’re off, roaring into the forest in a blizzard of dust and mud.

Andreas tells me the rain has made it trickier than usual, as we slide around a corner just inches from a tree.

The next three minutes are a blur of handbrake slides, lightning gear shifts and the odd jump which leaves the car airborne. As we rocket across the finish line it’s a relief to be out of the forest and away from those dangerous looking trees.

We pull alongside an official and he writes out our time, handing it to Andreas and saying: “Feel like you had ­something to prove, eh?”

We’ve smashed the fastest time of the day, coming in at 2m54sec. Andreas is happy and so am I as we head back the support team. Andreas says: “It’s tough because the conditions changed between laps and with the sun the track was drying as we went around.

“I know it was a joyride for you but I’m pretty pleased with the time. Perhaps you can be my co-driver if I need one in future.”

Maybe I could. I had to sign up to be an official co-driver with the Motor Sports Association before being allowed in the car – it’s valid for a year.

Andreas has a healthy 49-point lead in the ­Intercontinental Rally Championship and the next round is the Barum Czech Rally Zlín from August 31-September 2.

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Team Mikkelsen is a fan blog dedicated to the Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen IRC driver. We don't have financial interest. Just entertainment. All material published on this blog is properly credited. If any published material that is inappropriate let us know to remove it.